Order of Business - 29th March 2006

Order of Business - 29th March 2006
Mr. Norris: The House has a tradition of supporting independent regulation of the professions such as the press, medical, Garda and so on. We should examine the legal profession, particularly in light of recent reports about difficulties clients have had extracting detailed accounts of their bills from solicitors. Mr. Justice Hardiman has criticised the behaviour of the profession in this instance and has expressed surprise that costs do not appear to relate to the work done. Recourse is available to the taxing masters, both of whom are solicitors. A case was reported in an article by Carol Coulter in The Irish Times recently in which man was charged €13,500 for work done and to be done in the future with no supporting breakdown offered. He asked for a breakdown of fees but was just given the global figure. He had to pay the fees because the solicitors held documents, including mortgages on his house. He said he was provided with no indication of the time spent on the case, the rate per hour, the basis on which the fees were calculated, the sum for stamps and telephone calls——
An Cathaoirleach: What is the Senator’s question?
Mr. Norris: More significantly, the Taxing Master then turned around and, without dealing with these questions, attacked the man for complacency, selfishness and for being blinded by his own interests.
An Cathaoirleach: That is a statement.
Mr. Norris: Then the client said he could not see the work that had been done but that was because he received no breakdown. The reason I am calling for a debate on this is one could not have a greater illustration of the need for independent regulation of the legal profession.
An Cathaoirleach: The Senator should put a question. He has elaborated more than adequately.
Mr. Norris: The House should debate the need for an independent regulating system to adjudicate on the question of costs, given that the legal profession regularly refuses to give any breakdown whatever and the taxing system does not seem to work.